ADDRESS  OF  WELCOME 

By- 

% 

EMMET  O’NEAL,  GOVERNOR  OF  ALABAMA 


DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE  SOUTHERN 
COMMERCIAL  CONGRESS,  MOBILE, 
ALABAMA,  OCTOBER  27, 
19  13 


MONTGOMHHY,  ALA . 
BROWN  PRINTING  COMPANY 
PRINTERS  AND  BINDERS 
1013 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/addressofwelcomeOOonea 


'cV<- 


T(X  I!  o- 


SPEECH  BEFORE  THE  SOUTHERN  COMMERCIAL 
CONGRESS,  MOBILE,  ALABAMA, 
OCTOBER  27th,  1913. 


Delegates  to  the  Southern  Commercial  Congress , Ladies 
and  Gentlemen: 

The  high  privilege  has  been  accorded  me  of  extending  on 
behalf  of  the  State  of  Alabama  a cordial  welcome  to  the  dele- 
gates of  this  Congress,  and  the  numerous  guests  who  have 
honored  us  with  their  presence. 

The  gathering  in  convention  of  such  a distinguished  array 
of  leaders  in  the  commercial,  industrial  and  political  life  of 
this  and  those  other  countries  with  whom  we  desire  to  culti- 
vate closer  trade  relations  marks  an  important  era  in  our 
commercial  history. 

The  commanding  position  which  the  City  of  Mobile  occu- 
pies as  one  of  the  principal  gate-ways  of  that  greater  com- 
merce which  will  follow  the  completion  of  the  Panama  Canal, 
as  well  as  the  gracious  and  charming  hospitality  which  has 
always  characterized  her  people,  make  it  extremely  appropri- 
ate that  this  prosperous  City  of  the  Gulf  should  have  been 
selected  as  the  place  to  celebrate  the  completion  of  the  most 
stupendous  engineering  project  ever  undertaken. 

The  material  advantages  which  we  confidentially  expect  to 
reap  from  the  building  of  this  canal  would  alone  justify  us  in 
celebrating  the  completion  of  that  colossal  enterprise,  but 
above  and  beyond  that  its  construction  will  ever  stand  as  an 
enduring  and  mighty  monument  to  that  indomitable  Ameri- 
can spirit  which,  triumphing  over  the  opposing  forces  of  na- 
ture and  tropical  disease,  has  successfully  carried  out  its  un- 
crttertaking  in  the  face  of  manifold  and  seemingly  unsurmount- 
able  difficulties. 

Where  France  surrendered,  America  conquered.  Where 
DeLesseps  failed,  Goethals  triumphed. 

An  Isthmian  Canal  has  been  the  dream  of  the  ages.  We 
^ can  now,  after  weary  years  of  struggle,  triumphantly  pro- 
claim that  that  dream  is  about  to  be  realized.  Its  completion 
will  mean  that  the  people  of  the  United  States  will  attain 
^ their  hopes  of  commercial  supremacy — that  supremacy  which 
comes  not  from  acquisition  of  foreign  territory,  from  triumph 
in  war,  but  from  our  superiority  and  leadership  in  all  the  arts 
of  peace.  It  will  mean  that  the  Great  Father  of  Waters  will 


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be  restored  to  its  ancient  position  as  the  arbiter  and  regulator 
of  our  great  internal  commerce.  It  will  mean  that  our  ports 
will  be  whitened  with  the  argosies  of  the  nations,  bringing  to 
our  shores  the  products  of  every  land  and  clime  and  taking  in 
exchange  the  surplus  products  of  our  fields,  of  our  mines,  our 
forests  and  manufacturing  establishments.  It  will  mean  that 
the  larger  part  of  that  great  tide  of  commerce  which  now 
pours  its  golden  tribute  into  the  ports  of  the  East,  will  find 
an  outlet  through  the  ports  of  the  South  Atlantic  and  Gulf 
States,  and  that  the  South  will  once  more  regain  its  former 
financial  and  commercial  supremacy.  It  will  mean  the  reali- 
zation of  the  prophecy  of  Commodore  Murry,  that  “what  the 
Mediterranean  has  been  to  Europe,  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and 
the  Caribbean  Sea  will  be  to  the  people  of  these  United 
States.”  It  will  mean  closer  and  more  friendly  trade  and 
commercial  relations  with  the  governments  of  Central  and 
South  America  and  the  teeming  millions  of  the  Orient,  with 
wider  and  more  profitable  markets  for  our  surplus  products. 
Especially  for  the  South  will  it  mean  an  era  of  unprecedented 
industrial  development.  New  railroads  will  be  constructed  in 
the  eager  rivalry  for  a share  of  the  growing  commerce  of  the 
Gulf  ports.  New  ships  will  be  budded,  new  mines  opened, 
new  factories  erected,  and  the  farmers  of  the  South  no  longer 
sowing  in  tears  will  reap  in  joy — that  joy  which  comes  from 
a knowledge  of  remunerative  prices  in  the  markets  of  the 
world.  It  will  mean  that  the  people  of  the  whole  country 
looking  out  upon  a wider  horizon,  freed  from  the  tyranny  of 
industrial  monopoly,  stimulated  by  the  knowledge  that  the 
heavy  hand  of  governmental  taxation  has  been  removed  from 
across  the  pathway  of  their  progress,  will  move  forward  with 
greater  strides  in  every  field  of  industrial  development. 

To  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  Alabama,  the  opening  of  the 
canal  brings  the  proud  and  stimulating  reflection,  that  what- 
ever else  it  may  mean,  it  is  at  least  a monument  to  one  of  Ala- 
bama’s greatest  sons.  Who  will  ever  think  of  the  canal  with- 
out thinking  of  the  great  Senator  from  Alabama?  As  the 
days  go  by  it  is  universally  recognized  that  to  John  T.  Mor- 
gan of  Alabama  is  due  the  credit  of  creating  that  dominant, 
irresistible  public  opinion  which  forced  the  construction  of  an 
Isthmian  Canal.  Bitter,  unrelenting,  powerful  opposition  he 
met  and  overcame — the  array  of  all  the  combined  influences 
of  the  great  trans-continental  system  of  railroads,  which 
steadfastly  opposed  the  construction  of  an  Isthmian  Canal  as 
hostile  to  their  welfare  and  interests.  Yet,  in  spite  of  public 
apathy,  secret  and  open  enemies,  he  labored  so  persistently, 


5 


with  such  marked  ability,  with  such  a mass  of  information, 
with  such  convincing  logic  and  unanswerable  arguments,  that 
he  finally  forced  the  American  Congress  to  agree  with  his 
views,  and  impartial  history  will  forever  link  his  name  with 
this,  the  greatest  achievement  of  engineering  skill  of  all  the 
ages. 

A short  time  ago,  a member  of  Congress  from  Alabama 
standing  by  the  side  of  Colonel  Siebert,  himself  an  Alabamian, 
was  inspecting  the  works  under  charge  of  that  great  engineer 
at  the  Gatun  Dam.  In  the  course  of  their  conversation  Col- 
onel Siebert  said  that  all  the  difficulties  which  he  had  over- 
come had  been  forecasted  by  Senator  Morgan,  and  that  he 
had  secured  more  accurate  information  as  to  the  geology, 
topography  and  soil  formation  of  the  Panama  Canal  from  the 
speeches  and  writings  of  Senator  Morgan  than  from  all  other 
available  sources  combined. 

In  a personal  letter  he  wrote  me  on  July  29th,  1905,  he 
wisely  forecasted  the  future  when  he  said:  “Our  work  is  not 
yet  ended,  but  its  final  success  is  so  far  assured  that  no  enemy 
can  now  defeat  us.  I know  that  trouble  and  base  intrigue 
still  confront  us  in  getting  a canal  anywhere  across  the  Isth- 
mus but  the  stone  has  been  loosened  from  its  seat  on  the 
mountain  and  no  obstacle  can  long  prevent  its  removal 
through  its  own  gravity/’ 

Now,  that  the  hour  of  final  success  has  almost  struck,  we 
can  proudly  proclaim  that  it  was  John  T.  Morgan  of  Alabama 
who  loosened  the  stone  from  its  seat  on  the  mountain,  and 
that,  looking  wisely  into  the  future,  he  but  uttered  the  lan- 
guage of  prophecy  when  he  triumphantly  declared  that  no 
obstacle  can  long  prevent  its  removal  through  its  own  gravity. 

Who  can  doubt  that  it  is  directly  due  to  the  untiring  labors 
of  John  T.  Morgan  that  our  shores  are  4,000  miles  nearer  to 
the  markets  of  the  world  than  they  have  ever  been  before? 
No  greater  geographical  event  has  occurred,  since  from  the 
far-off  shores  of  Spain,  Columbus  brought  his  tiny  fleet  across 
the  wide  waste  of  the  Atlantic.  Columbus  realized  his  vision 
when  he  found  a new  world.  Morgan’s  dream  became  an 
actuality,  when  the  new  world  was  drawn  into  closer  contact 
by  this  great  work. 

As  Alabamians  we  can  justly  rejoice  that  when  the  im- 
partial historian  writes  the  narrative  of  this  mightiest 
achievement  of  the  race  in  overcoming  the  forces  and  power 
of  nature,  that  three  of  the  greatest  names  which  will  be 
imperishably  linked  with  the  construction  of  the  Panama  Ca- 
nal were  furnished  by  the  State  of  Alabama — Morgan,  Gorgas 


6 


and  Siebert.  Yet,  while  it  is  a source  of  gratification  that  our 
State  has  contributed  so  splendidly  to  the  success  of  this 
great  achievement,  we  should  not  forget  that  what  Morgan 
conceived  Goethals  has  successfully  accomplished  in  the  face 
of  difficulties  that  appeared  insurmountable,  with  marvelous 
efficiency,  irresistible  energy  and  notable  economy.  As  Amer- 
icans, we  share  in  the  just  pride  that  his  fame  is  forever 
established  as  one  of  the  foremost  constructing  engineers 
of  all  time. 

Ladies  and  gentlemen,  It  is  a singular  coincidence  that  at 
the  very  time  geographical  limitations  are  struck  from  our 
(commerce  by  one  great  American,  political  and  legal  shackles 
are  being  stricken  from  it  by  another.  While  Goethals 
wrought  out  the  great  ambition  of  Morgan  and  achieved  our 
physical  liberation  from  the  obstacles  of  nature,  our  great 
President,  our  most  honored  guest  today,  was  guiding  and 
directing  the  policies,  now  most  happily  crowned  with  suc- 
cess, which  freed  us  from  the  grievous  burden  of  an  unjust 
and  iniquitous  system  of  tariff  taxation,  unshackled  com- 
merce, and  gave  us  the  invigorating  breath  of  that  newer  free- 
dom, under  whose  stimulating  effects  the  American  people 
will  move  forward  to  greater  and  more  lasting  triumphs  in  all 
the  fields  of  commercial  and  industrial  life.  In  the  great  con- 
test in  which  he  is  now  engaged,  for  the  restoration  of  indus- 
trial freedom  and  social  justice,  he  has  consecrated  to  the 
service  of  the  people  his  great  learning,  his  superb  states- 
manship and  his  masterly  leadership,  and  he  will  not  lay 
down  his  arms  until  he  has  broken  the  chains  of  monopoly 
and  given  us  a currency  system  freed  from  the  domination 
of  the  selfish  special  interests, — a currency  system  sound,  elas- 
tic and  capable  of  serving  the  needs  of  that  industrial  and 
commercial  activity  and  expansion  which  will  follow  in  the 
wake  of  a just,  wise  and  equitable  system  of  tariff  taxation. 
The  national  importance  of  this  occasion  is  accentuated  by 
his  presence,  and  I am  sure  that  in  carrying  out  the  great 
program  of  constructive  legislation  in  which  he  is  now  en- 
gaged, that  despite  criticism  and  powerful  opposition  from 
sinister  and  selfish  interests,  he  is  sustained  by  the  over- 
whelming majority  of  the  American  people,  who  deep  down 
in  their  hearts  believe  that  at  this  critical  juncture  in  our 
affairs,  the  man  and  the  occasion  have  met. 

Ladies  and  gentlemen,  the  State  of  Alabama  is  deeply  ap- 
preciative of  the  honor  done  our  State  by  holding  within  our 
borders  this  meeting  of  an  association  which  has  been  such  a 
potent  factor  in  the  industrial  development  of  the  South. 


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Alabama  is  not  only  first  upon  the  roll  of  States  but  possesses 
every  resource  necessary  to  a great  and  prosperous  common- 
wealth. We  have  a soil  capable  of  producing  in  abundance 
every  variety  of  product  known  to  the  temperate  and  semi- 
tropical  zones — a soil  which,  under  the  influences  of  modern 
scientific  methods  of  farming,  has  practically  no  limit  to  its 
possibilities.  We  possess  every  variety  of  resource,  both  min- 
eral and  agricultural,  and  rank  today  as  first  in  the  produc- 
tion of  brown  ore,  third  in  red  hematite,  third  in  the  total 
production  of  iron,  and  fifth  in  coal  and  steel.  Our  inexhaust- 
ible resources  in  clay  and  cement  material,  in  building  stone 
and  marble,  promises  an  industrial  development  which  we 
have  never  realized.  Navigable  streams  sweep  through  our 
borders,  furnishing  easy  and  cheap  methods  of  transporta- 
tion. No  State  in  the  Union  is  blessed  with  a more  perfect 
system  of  waterways  than  Alabama.  When  these  streams  are 
all  opened  to  navigation,  when  the  obstructions  which  now 
check  our  growing  commerce  are  removed,  the  State  of  Ala- 
bama will  possess  easy  and  cheap  method  of  transportation 
throughout  its  borders, — transportation  which  cannot  be  the 
subject  of  monopoly,  and  which  will  guarantee  that  the  bulk 
of  our  products  will  always  find  access  to  the  markets  of  the 
world  at  the  lowest  possible  cost. 

In  water  power  we  stand  near  the  head  of  the  list,  and 
when  the  enormous  power  which  is  now  flowing  wasted  to  the 
sea  is  developed  and  harnessed,  it  will  furnish  the  white  mes- 
sengers that  will  herald  the  newer  and  grander  commerce  of 
the  future.  We  possess  a climate  unsurpassed,  as  mild  and 
as  health-giving  as  the  most  favored  sections  of  the  Old  and 
New  World. 

From  the  blue  waters  of  the  Tennessee  to  where  the 
Mexican  Gulf  marks  our  southern  boundary,  with  valley  and 
hill  and  mountain,  with  prairie  and  table-land,  the  richest  soil, 
interspersed  throughout  with  springs  and  streams  of  purest 
water;  where  has  nature  been  more  lavish  in  her  gifts,  and 
what  State  can  compare  with  Alabama  in  the  possibilities  of 
its  future?  Where  among  these  commonwealths  of  the  Un- 
ion can  any  State  be  found  to  whom  an  Alabamian  should 
yield  the  palm  of  superiority? 

During  the  last  decade  the  value  of  our  agricultural  lands 
increased  over  116%,  and  the  Southern  States,  which 
since  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  had  been  producing  less  per 
capita  in  farm  values  are  now  beginning  to  produce  the  most. 
The  Central  Western  States,  long  the  synonym  for  abun- 
dance of  agricultural  wealth,  showed  a 56%  increase  in  crop 


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values,  whereas  the  Southern  Atlantic  States  showed  an  in- 
crease of  138%.  The  development  in  Alabama  and  the  entire 
South  has  been  steady,  substantial  and  permanent.  It  has 
been  a long  and  dreary  struggle  to  overcome  the  loss  of 
wealth  and  wealth-producing  power  which  followed  in  the 
wake  of  a great  civil  war,  hampered  in  our  struggle  to  re- 
adjust our  economic  conditions  by  hostile  federal  legislation 
and  further  weakened  by  the  enormous  immigration  from  our 
borders,  estimated  at  two  and  a half  million  people,  caused  by 
the  misgovernment  and  chaotic  conditions  engendered  by  the 
era  of  reconstruction.  With  the  crushing  burden  of  debt, 
with  loss  of  credit,  the  overthrow  of  our  economic  and  indus- 
trial system,  and  the  misrule  created  by  unjust,  unwise  and 
bitter  sectional  legislation,  it  is  not  remarkable  that  our  edu- 
cational and  industrial  development  was  retarded,  that  the 
great  tide  of  immigration  which  poured  into  the  ports  of  the 
East  found  its  outlet  in  the  undeveloped  West,  and  that  the 
South  was  avoided  because  the  impression  had  been  indus- 
triously cultivated  that  life  and  property  were  unsafe  in  our 
borders.  We  give  thanks  to  God  Almighty  that  the  days  of 
sectional  animosity  have  forever  passed,  that  the  States  of 
the  South  are  recognized  as  parts  of  our  common  Union  of 
States,  and  that  no  hostile  hand  is  raised  by  the  federal  gov- 
ernment to  check  our  progress.  With  a population  homogene- 
ous, loyal  to  the  traditions  and  noble  ideals  of  the  South,  we 
also  recognize  that  the  complexity  of  modern  civilization  has 
largely  widened  the  sphere  of  governmental  activity  and  that 
our  progress  cannot  be  sound  or  lasting  until  by  wise  and 
just  laws  we  establish  social  and  industrial  justice. 

We  should  not  heed  the  voice  of  that  narrow  spirit  of  con- 
servatism which  would  forever  bar  all  wise  reform  or  pro- 
gressive legislation  and  which  will  always  in  lugubuous  tones 
cry  out:  “Let  well  enough  alone.” 

We  must  either  progress  or  retrograde.  We  must  strike 
from  our  statute  books  all  laws  which  deny  equal  opportuni- 
ties to  our  people  in  the  stern  struggle  for  existence.  We 
must  secure  greater  efficiency  and  economy  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  our  State  governments,  and  by  wise  laws  safe- 
guarding our  people  against  the  unselfishness  of  powerful 
special  interests,  guarantee  to  every  citizen,  the  rich  and  poor 
alike,  the  equal  protection  of  laws  founded  in  justice,  breath- 
ing the  spirit  of  a wider  and  wiser  humanity. 

It  is  my  earnest  hope  that  the  deliberations  of  this  Con- 
gress will  be  of  material  benefit  not  only  to  our  section  but  to 
the  entire  country,  and  that  the  blessings  of  the  Most  High 
will  guide  your  counsels  and  crown  your  labors  with  success. 


